


Twelve Seconds

by vassalady



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ficlet, Fix-It, Gen, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 14:30:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3854194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After training, Wanda visits Pietro.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twelve Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> AGE OF ULTRON SPOILERS

Wanda sank into the chair next to the bed with a sigh. Every part of her hurt; Wilson didn’t pull his punches, and Romanoff had worked them for a long time. And that didn’t even begin to cover her headache. It hadn’t been this bad since… well, it had been awhile.

“You look terrible.”

Wanda snorted. She shoved at the mattress with her knee, not enough to jostle Pietro, but enough for him to notice. “Check a mirror lately?

Pietro grinned at her. He laid propped against some pillows, still too weak to lift himself up. “Dr. Cho says I look better every day.”

“You always fall for a pretty girl’s line?”

Pietro laughed. It wasn’t the full laugh she was used to, but it was better than nothing at all. He smiled at her, a little dopey, and held out his hand. Wanda took it in both of hers, rubbing at his knuckles gently with her thumbs.

“One day,” he said, “I’ll join you out there. You’ll see.”

“You better.” Wanda pressed her lips to his hand. “When I thought-”

Pietro squeezed her fingers. His touch wasn’t strong, but it was getting there. Already, he was much better than the week before when he could barely lift his hand. The cellular regeneration was going quite well considering much of Dr. Cho’s equipment had been destroyed, and Pietro’s wounds were severe. Still, when Wanda and Pietro were both so used to him going at impossible speeds, the slow healing was particularly frustrating.

“Tell me about your day,” he said. “I am losing my mind from boredom.”

Wanda told him everything, how training was going, what she thought of her teammates, and even what the food was like. As Pietro listened, he interjected with more than one witticism.

“Better than what I’m getting, I’m sure,” Pietro said. He cast a glance at the remains of his dinner. Wanda couldn’t disagree. Unappetizing was being polite.

“I’ll sneak something in later,” Wanda said. “The sundaes are particularly delicious.”

Pietro’s energy waned, and he was soon asleep. He snored, the sound mixing with the monitors, and Wanda rested her head on his bed. She continued to hold his hand in hers. He was twelve minutes older, but all he needed to have been was twelve seconds faster, and he wouldn’t be here in this bed. But twelve seconds slower, and there would be more than one family who had lost someone.

“Dummy,” she said with a smile, even as she felt a burn behind her eyes, “you always wanted to play hero, after all.”

Pietro’s voice was so quiet, she almost didn’t catch it when he said, “So did you.”

It was another month before Pietro was on his feet and itching to join in the training. Wanda hooked her arm through his and led him, delighted, to meet the others.

Steve gave him a firm welcome, and both Rhodey and Sam were eager to meet him (and the mention of a race came up.) The Vision nodded, solemn, and thanked Pietro for his part in taking down Ultron, and he was glad to see Pietro well again. As they took to the field under Natasha’s order, Pietro hooked his arm around Wanda’s shoulder and pulled her in to say, “I think someone has a crush on you.”

“Pietro!” Wanda’s gaze flicked to the Vision, but he was looking elsewhere.

“Unless it’s the Captain whose eye you wish you’ve caught,” Pietro said with a devious grin.

Before Wanda could get a good hex on his feet or that big mouth of his, Pietro was off in a flash. For her part, she couldn’t be too upset, because he was alive and well, and they both had found a new family.

For the first time in a long time, Wanda saw a real future for herself and her brother, and she loved every moment of it.


End file.
